A powerful new report from the Florida-based Foundation for Government Accountability suggests that cost projections relied on by Gov. Rick Snyder in recommending that Michigan go along with an optional-for-states Obamacare Medicaid expansion may be far too low.
A Wall Street Journal editorial last weekend described one of the rationalizations used to promote Obamacare’s massive expansion of the Medicaid health-welfare program to include childless adults and families with incomes up to 138 percent of the poverty level. Under the “Affordable Care Act” as written by Congress, the expansion was mandatory for states, but the Supreme Court’s rewriting of the law last June made it optional.
Your humble writer has been covering pop and high culture for a variety of publications since 1975. During this tumultuous tenure — particularly in the world of popular music — critical and journalistic attitudes within this particular industry have been decidedly polarized between pro-capitalism and downright redistributionist.
Y = Yes, N = No, X = Not Voting
Senate Bill 96, Do NOT vote on right-to-work repeal "discharge motion": Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate on March 14
To NOT hold a vote on a motion to discharge from committee a bill repealing the Michigan right-to-work law passed last December, which if a approved would bring the bill directly to the full Senate for consideration. The motion to discharge was brought by Democratic Sen. Tupac Hunter of Detroit; the actual vote was on "postponing the motion for the day."
James Hohman, assistant director of fiscal policy, was a guest recently on “The Frank Beckmann Show” on WJR AM760, discussing the $40 million subsidy Michigan took from taxpayers and gave to the production of “Oz: The Great and Powerful.”
The Oakland Press also reported on the corporate welfare, relying heavily on Michigan Capitol Confidential and the Mackinac Center’s blog for background information and analysis.
The biggest event of the current news cycle is the election of Pope Francis as the successor to Benedict XVI. Seemingly this would be inside baseball, applicable only to the world’s 1.2 billion or so Roman Catholics. In other words, the inner workings of the Vatican deal more with spiritual matters and social issues than economic freedoms. But it should be noted that the papacy over the past century has contributed much ammunition to the same free-market battles fought by the Mackinac Center and its fellow think tanks throughout the world.
National Review Online today takes a look at the lawsuit filed by the Mackinac Center Legal on behalf of three teachers in the Taylor School District against the Taylor Federation of Teachers.
The union and district agreed to a new contract, after being without one since 2010, which includes a 10 percent pay cut for teachers. A separate, 10-year agreement locks teachers into paying dues and prevents teachers from exercising their freedom under Michigan’s right-to-work law.
Last week, the Washington, D.C.-based Heritage Foundation released a report on the cost to each state of expanding Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The study begins by stating:
The Medicaid expansion is touted by proponents of Obamacare as a “no-brainer.” While it is true that some states may see projected savings, it is erroneous to claim that this experience applies to every state.
The Michigan film subsidy program is a perfect example of how the traditional media can play into the hands of the government and elected politicians.
While virtually no economist or researcher who has looked at the program finds a net benefit for citizens, the media rolls out story after story of positive parts of the program while almost never mentioning the costs.
Y = Yes, N = No, X = Not Voting
Senate Bill 94, Prohibit Michigan National Guard executing federal “indefinite detention”: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate
To prohibit members of the Michigan National Guard or other state and local government employees from participating in the investigation, prosecution, or detention of any person under a recent federal law giving the current or a future President the power to order the indefinite detention of persons arrested on U.S. soil, without charge or trial (“Section 1021 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Year 2012”).
Josh Pugh of Progress Michigan writes that Rep. Lisa Lyons, R-Alto, is having "issues with integrity," alleging that Rep. Lyons' bill to expand the state Education Achievement Authority has a clause that would exempt Grand Rapids Public Schools.
This is a rumor I first heard when attending a meeting held by Oakland Schools Superintendent Vicki Markavtich. But it's not true.
As reported recently in Michigan Capitol Confidential, Michigan taxpayers shelled out a cool $40 million in tax credits to the House of Mouse for the perceived benefits of filming the movie "Oz: The Great and Powerful" in our state.
As noted by several Mackinac Center analysts, there are reasons aplenty for opposing film subsidies given to any movie.
Education Policy Director Michael Van Beek testified Wednesday on a proposed $65 million expansion of the Great Start preschool program before the House Education Committee, according to Gongwer.
The matter at hand was delayed, however, when Rep. Ellen Lipton, D-Huntington Woods, took the focus off of the hearing and instead chose to question Van Beek’s qualifications, Gongwer reported. That earned Rep. Lipton “some chastising” from other committee members “for having to resort to personal attacks.” Van Beek responded that he was qualified to testify because of his research on the issue and because he was invited to do so.
The Disney blockbuster, "Oz: The Great and Powerful," opens today. The film cost the studio about $200 million to make, but Michigan taxpayers chipped in substantially for the production through the state’s generous film subsidy program.
In fact, the state paid more per taxpayer than the average price of a movie ticket — Michigan residents should be seeing the film for free.
Harry Veryser Jr., a professor of economics at the University of Detroit-Mercy and a member of the Center’s Board of Scholars, was a guest on “The Frank Beckmann Show” on WJR AM760 Wednesday, discussing fluctuations in the stock market.
He also discussed his recent book, “It Didn’t Have to Be This Way,” which outlines why boom and bust cycles are unnecessary and how adhering to the Austrian school of economics can break that pattern.
Patrick J. Wright, director of the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation, was a guest on “The Tony Conley Show” on WILS AM1320 in Lansing this morning, discussing the end of the SEIU dues skim.
The union’s scheme funneled some $34 million from home-based caregivers over the past six years, trapping people who care for loved ones and family members in the union.
Labor Policy Director F. Vincent Vernuccio was a guest on Fox Business Monday night with host Neil Cavuto discussing a lawsuit filed by the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation on behalf of three teachers in Taylor over a 10-year agreement between the Taylor Federation of Teachers and the Taylor School District that circumvents the state’s right-to-work law.
While grass-roots activists here are focused on a so-called Obamacare "partnership" exchange, special-interest lobbyists are mounting a full-court press for something far more critical to the law's survival: Medicaid expansion.
The Medicaid battle is being fought in Lansing every day in committee hearings and legislators' offices, and in the excerpt below, The Washington Examiner’s Tim Carney describes events on this front elsewhere:
The Michigan Senate recently tabled a proposal by Gov. Rick Snyder to raise the state gas tax and vehicle registration fees. Republican lawmakers have reportedly countered with a tax increase proposal of their own.
Both sides are right to propose more road spending. State legislators, however, should ensure that any increase in transportation taxes is offset by cuts in taxes and spending elsewhere.
Not only does March 1, 2013, mark the beginning of the federal budget sequester, but as well the deadline for the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs’ Retention and Engagement Grant Program.
The REGP is but one of five MCACA grants categories for Michigan this year. MCACA’s 2013 budget includes $5 million in state tax dollars and $1.15 million from the National Endowment for the Arts. The $6.15 million represents a $3.5 million bump above 2012’s MCACA budget.
The Detroit Free Press, Gongwer and Detroit News quickly reported on a lawsuit filed by the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation today on behalf of three teachers in Taylor over a 10-year agreement between the Taylor Federation of Teachers and Taylor School District that would prevent the plaintiffs from exercising their right-to-work freedom. MLive, the Livingston Daily Press & Argus and Southgate News-Herald also covered the story.
Gov. Rick Snyder could appoint a new emergency manager for Detroit Friday, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Mackinac Center analysts have written extensively about both the city’s financial problems and the emergency manager law. Here is a sampling:
Highland Park High School Leader Flinnoia Hall talks about turnover at the charter public school district.
In December, Michigan Radio reported that one out of four teachers at one of Michigan's charter public school districts had already quit. Reporter Lindsey Smith spoke with former teachers, administrators and students, all who were frustrated with the lack of continuity.
Few things make your writer more elated than unwrapping a new compact disc, transferring old vinyl to digital files or adding tunes to my Mp3 library. Recently, I had the great pleasure of performing all three in one morning — respectively opening Richard Thompson’s latest collection of impeccably performed Celtic-infused bittersweet rockers; preserving a nearly worn-out copy of Brian Protheroe’s eclectic 1976 LP classic “I/You” and downloading “Young Waverer,” the latest release by Canada’s libertarian response to rock’n’roll statism, Lindy Vopnfjord.
A new poll shows that a majority of Americans support raising the minimum wage. Doing so would almost surely help large businesses at the expense of smaller mom-and-pop stores and lower-skilled workers.
A few years ago, the conservative chief executive at Wal-Mart went public advocating for an increase in the minimum wage. A short time later, the “maverick” left-wing Costco CEO Jim Sinegal followed suit. Was it out of the goodness of their hearts? Maybe, but the more likely reason is that this would help their bottom-line.
